Insurers reminded to cover medical marijuana-related office visits

The New York State Department of Financial Services has issued a notice to all insurers in the state that they must provide coverage for office visits for all covered services, including those that may result in a medical marijuana certification.

The department "is reminding all insurers authorized to write accident and health insurance in New York … of their obligation to provide coverage,” according to an announcement Thursday from financial services superintendent Maria T. Vullo. 

Medical marijuana-related visits should also be covered “as long as the visit was not solely for the purpose of the certification,” it states. 

The announcement comes after the department “received inquiries as to whether coverage must be provided for an office visit during which a practitioner, along with other services, provides a patient with a medical marijuana certification in accordance with New York law,” the announcement reads.

The Department of Financial Services “is reminding insurers today of their obligation to provide coverage for healthcare services, and that they cannot deny coverage just because a doctor may provide a medical marijuana certification as part of an otherwise covered office visit,” said Ms. Vullo in the statement.